Herman Herman & Katz, LLC | Firms | Attus

Personal Injury Lawyers In New Orleans, Louisiana

Dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic accident can be overwhelming. A family’s income may be drastically reduced if a father or mother is unable to work. Families are forced to dip into savings and retirement accounts to pay for necessary medical care. The financial and emotional strain can be unbearable. During this scary time, it may be easier to simply hope and pray that the responsible party will “do the right thing,” accept responsibility and compensate your family for the injuries it caused. Unfortunately, this is not likely to occur. Our New Orleans personal injury lawyers are here to fight for your justice and help you get back on your feet.

At Herman, Herman & Katz, our reputation is our most valuable possession. The following are some of the reasons that our clients choose to trust us:

We are streetwise:​ Despite the stellar academic performance of our attorneys, we are the first to realize that intelligence, as it matters in practice anyway, is about more than just IQ – especially when you are negotiating against tricky insurance adjusters or anticipating your opponent’s next move in court. We are all “students of human moves” in service to justice for our clients.

We are personally involved​: Representing personal injury victims is not just our job – it is our mission. That is why we represent victims, not defendants. As far as we are concerned, your problem is our problem too. We will tackle your case with the same intensity that we would if one of our own family members had been injured.

After all these years, we still respond with outrage when a defendant thinks they can just walk away after turning someone else’s life upside down through their misconduct. However, we never let our emotions overwhelm us – instead, they energize and motivate us.

We are relentless​: We. Absolutely. Will. Not. allow anyone to bully you, no matter who they are. Put simply, we won’t back down and we won’t quit until we secure justice for you. Although it sometimes happens that compromise is the best solution, a solution is exactly what it is – not an excuse to settle your claim for less than what it’s worth. If our firm had a mascot, it would be a bulldog.

We are compassionate: ​It takes more than street smarts and a brilliant legal mind to successfully conclude a personal injury case. You may find your emotions reaching a breaking point as you struggle to deal with a stingy or evasive defendant and deal with mounting medical bills – all while trying to recover from a serious injury. We try to address the emotional aspects of your situation so that the entire experience will be as stress-free for you as possible.

We know our way around the courtroom: This fact, ironically, keeps our clients out of court more often than not. Defendants and insurance adjusters laugh behind that backs of lawyers who boast “expert” negotiation skills but who cannot win in court. Why should an opponent settle a claim when the victim’s lawyer hasn’t proved that he has the ability to compel payment through a court judgment?

We never have that problem. Billions of dollars in courtroom judgments tend to wipe the smirk off the face of an overconfident insurance adjuster – at least once he finds out you have retained Herman, Herman & Katz to represent you. Once that happens, an out-of-court settlement is by far the most likely result.

We WIN. At the end of the day, results are all that matter; all the rest is just conversation. And results are measured in only one way – cash in your bank account. That’s OK with us. While other law firms are boasting about how many millions of dollars they have won for their clients, we can point to recoveries in the billions. The total amount we have won for all of our clients combined, $35 billion, exceeds the aggregate annual GDP of more than one hundred of the world’s nations.

About Herman, Herman & Katz
We’ve been helping personal injury victims since 1942 – longer than most people have been alive. The following are some examples of recoveries we have won for our clients:

Over $85 million for losses caused by an industrial explosion
Over $47 million for losses caused by the sinking of a barge
Over $24 million for a brain injury suffered by a child
Over $11 million for injuries suffered in a collision with a train
Nearly $600 million against cigarette manufacturers in a class action lawsuit.
Trusted and Talented New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer
Dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident can be overwhelming. Many families with seriously injured loved ones must tap into savings and retirement accounts to pay for necessary medical care. A family’s income may be drastically reduced if a father or mother is unable to work as a result of an injury or death. The financial and emotional strain imposed upon a family can be unbearable.

A skilled New Orleans personal injury lawyer at Herman Herman & Katz, LLC (HHK) is committed to fighting for families devastated by personal injury caused by the negligence of others.

Negotiation vs. Litigation
You may have heard that most personal injury claims are resolved out of court. Strictly speaking, this is true. Most defendants would rather avoid the time and expense of a trial if they think there’s a significant chance they might lose. However, don’t let this fact deceive you – it is said (quite wisely) that “all bargaining takes place in the shadow of the law.”

No defendant or insurance company is likely to offer you a fair settlement unless you prove that you are substantially likely to win at trial. Of course, that means assembling evidence that is admissible under court rules just as it would if a trial were already underway. In many ways, preparing for negotiations is similar to preparing for trial. Let us handle negotiations for you while you make the major decisions.

The HHK Advantage
Our successful track record proves we can handle ourselves, and your best interests when the gloves come off. All told, we have recovered over $35 billion for our clients over the years, both in court and at the negotiating table. We are the go-to law firm when looking for a skilled and proven New Orleans personal injury lawyer.

Brain Injury – A brain injury can produce extensive long-term disability, as well as some of the highest damages awards available for any type of injury. Our brain injury practice group is led by Dr. Joseph Kott, a retired neurosurgeon.
Burn Injury – A serious burn injury can cause immense pain and suffering, and it can leave its victim disfigured for life. Even more moderate injuries can generate tremendous personal losses.
Car Accidents – Car accidents are perhaps the most common cause of personal injury. However, to win an adequate recovery against a stingy insurance company, you are likely to need the services of a skilled personal injury lawyer.
Contamination – Toxic contamination, produced by a disaster such as an oil spill, can cause economic devastation, serious public health problems, and even wrongful death. At HHK, we have dealt with these issues before (during the BP oil spill litigation, for example).
Industrial Accidents – Industrial accidents are surprisingly common, especially in Louisiana. Compensation may be sought through workers’ compensation, the Jones Act, or ordinary personal injury law – depending on the circumstances.
Dangerous Products – Louisiana law grants consumers and other people injured by an unreasonably dangerous product the right to damages. Products liability is distinct from other areas of personal injury law and is in some ways more favorable to the victim.
Electrocutions – Electrical accidents, some leading to death, are far more common than most people realize. While many of these accidents befall skilled tradespeople such as electricians whose jobs expose them to an elevated level of risk, members of the general public also suffer this kind of injury.
Medical Malpractice – Medical malpractice is perhaps the most terrifying form of personal injury. This is because it forces us all to realize that even the professionals we are forced to rely on for our very lives are human just like us – prone to error.
Offshore Maritime – Offshore maritime law is a system all its own. Its rules are in many ways different than the rules that apply to other types of personal injuries. Louisiana’s large petroleum industry ensures that maritime law claims will always be common here; especially in coastal areas of the state.
Wrongful Death – When the victim of a personal injury dies, a wrongful death claim is the result. Although damages for a wrongful death claim can be immense, the law works differently than it does for an ordinary personal injury claim.
18 Wheeler Trucking – 18-wheeler trucks act like highway missiles when the driver loses control, and the damage that they can do is nearly comparable. Truck accident claims can present unique questions of law that do not arise in ordinary car accident claims.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I file a personal injury claim if I am intentionally assaulted?
How can I collect compensation if the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured?
Can I win a claim against a business owner if I was injured in the establishment because his employee disobeyed an order from him?
How can I recover damages in the case of a hit and run accident?
Can I still recover for a drunk driving accident if the driver was acquitted in criminal court?
Can I sue the defendant's employer?
Can my claim be resolved through an out-of-court settlement?
I fell on a slippery floor in a restaurant and broke my arm. Do I have a claim against the restaurant?
I signed a medical consent form. Can it be used against me in a medical malpractice claim?
Can I still file a claim if I don't discover the true cause of my injury until a long time after my accident?
What kinds of damages am I eligible for?
If I can prove that the defendant was breaking the law at the time of the accident, will I win the case?
Is a public establishment (such as a business) obligated to institute security measures to protect guests from criminal acts by third parties?
What makes a product “unreasonably dangerous” in the context of a products liability lawsuit?
Is there a limit to how much I can win in a medical malpractice case?
If I am injured by a negligent truck driver, can I sue the company that hired him?
If I am injured by a drunken driver, can I sue the bar that sold him alcohol?
What is the Jones Act and how might it affect my maritime injury claim?
What is a “never event” and how does it affect a medical malpractice claim?
Can I still win if the accident was partly my fault?
Why shouldn’t I accept a quick settlement from the insurance company?
What are some tricks that insurance companies like to play to avoid paying the full value of a claim?
No Recovery? No Fee
At Herman, Herman & Katz, we understand that you aren’t going to hand over your hard-earned money in exchange for smooth talk and promises – you pay for victory, and nothing less. Consequently, we won’t charge you any fees in a contingency case unless you receive a recovery, and nothing will come due until you actually receive your recovery. You will want a very experienced New Orleans personal injury lawyer on your side.

Start Fighting Back Today
We know that families come to us because a tragic event has changed their lives. Most families come to us anguished and exhausted. We understand that they depend upon us to aggressively pursue justice on their behalf. We consider this to be a sacred trust. If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury, learn about your legal rights from an experienced New Orleans personal injury attorneys by calling 504-581-4892 or by filling out our free, no obligation case review form. We offer free consultations.